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Anti-piracy operation

ELSPA's black helicopters swoop on Workington counterfeiter]

By Silviu Stahie, Video and PC Games Editor

17th of February 2006, 09:11 GMT

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A counterfeiter from Workington was sentenced to 21 months' imprisonment at Carlisle Crown Court on 10th February for his part in a large scale counterfeiting operation.

Paul Lee (39) of Corporation Road, Workington was sentenced by his Honour Judge Batty. At an earlier hearing on December 19th, 2005, he pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to breach Trade Mark, copyright and video recording act offences during the period from 9th April 2001 to 10 June 2004.

Assisted by ELSPA,
FACT and Cumbria Police, Trading Standards officers executed an entry warrant on Lee's home on June 9th, 2004. Officers seized a substantial amount of equipment, including six PCs and over 7000 discs containing games, music and films as well as a quantity of unclassified pornographic titles. The copying equipment was capable of copying 19 discs simultaneously giving an effective output of one hundred discs per hour.

Lee was part of a loose network of dealers in counterfeit goods who stayed in regular contact by email and would update each other whenever new counterfeit titles became available. One of his regular contacts was Anthony Briscoe of Lorton Avenue, Wigton who was sentenced to 150 hours' community punishment order on October 13th, 2005 for counterfeiting offences. Briscoe, who was employed at BNFL at Sellafield, would then circulate the list among his fellow employees using the company's internal email system. His colleagues would place orders with him and Lee would then fulfill them.

Michael Rawlinson, deputy director general of ELSPA, commented: "This operation was not a so-called back bedroom scam, but a major manufacturing facility. Its potential output was staggering. Lee's sentence will act as a deterrent to anyone tempted to become involved in the illegal copying of computer and video games software and highlights the very real threat of criminal prosecution and a criminal record. "

Phil Ashcroft, Head of Cumbria County Council's Trading Standards Department who brought the prosecution, said: "This is the biggest investigation into counterfeits that we have carried out. The sentence imposed by the judge, together with the threat of further financial penalties from the Assets Recovery Agency investigation, should serve as a warning to counterfeiters everywhere. I am particularly grateful to BNFL. Information provided by them has resulted in three significant counterfeiters being brought to justice."


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